5 Best VPNs for Minecraft and how to beat IP bans

Minecraft is the second highest-selling video game in the world, but if you attempt to play it on your lunch break at work, college, or school, you might find that it’s blocked. In this post, we’ll explain how you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to bypass these restrictions and play Minecraft from anywhere in the world. We’ll also be showing how to change your IP address with a VPN so you can beat IP bans and hopefully keep all of your progress.

VPNs encrypt your network traffic, making it unreadable to hackers, network administrators, and even your Internet Service Provider (ISP). As you can connect to servers all over the world and receive a new IP address each time, getting around a Minecraft IP ban becomes very simple. This also increases your online security by making it very difficult for sites to track your activities across the internet.

Obviously, Mojang doesn’t want players circumventing their bans, so if you try playing Minecraft when connected to a VPN, you might not be able to connect to servers at all, or you might see an error saying “Connection lost – You seem to be using a VPN or proxy”. Luckily, there are specific VPN services you can use to connect and play regardless.

We go into a lot of detail on each of the VPNs in this post, but if you haven’t got time to read the whole thing, here’s a brief summary:

The first step is choosing a suitable VPN to use. Every service is different, with varying security features, network sizes, and speeds. To find the best VPNs for Minecraft, we looked for services that met the following criteria:

Offers an expansive server network

Provides high-speed, consistent connections

Capable of bypassing Minecraft’s VPN detection measures

Uses strong encryption and additional security features

Doesn’t log any personally identifiable information

How to play Minecraft and remove an IP ban with a VPN

VPNs can seem daunting if you’ve never used one before. However, they’re actually very simple to use. Just follow the steps below to reset your IP address, beat your Minecraft ban, and continue playing:

The Best VPNs for Minecraft

With more than 2,000 servers across the world, ExpressVPN makes it easy to find a low-latency connection to play Minecraft on. Its service is fast enough to stream 4K video effortlessly, so Minecraft shouldn’t pose any kind of a problem. Further, with DDoS protection built-in, this VPN ensures you’ll be able to connect, even if you’re being targeted by malicious third parties.

This service is as secure as it is user-friendly. It comes with 256-bit encryption, DNS leak protection, perfect forward secrecy, and a kill switch enabled by default. If you run into any issues, you can contact customer support via 24/7 live chat. With no personally identifiable information recorded, you’ll be able to play, stream, and browse privately.

ExpressVPN has dedicated apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux platforms. It’s possible to install the VPN on selected wireless routers, although this must be done manually.

BEST VPN FOR MINECRAFT:ExpressVPN is our #1 choice. A blazing fast and reliable choice. Great at unblocking all major IP-restricted gaming services. Best-in-class security and privacy with 256-bit AES encryption, keep no browser logs, kill switch and leak protection. Try it risk-free with the 30-day money back guarantee.

NordVPN has everything a gamer could ever need: an expansive server network (over 4,500 servers across 62 countries), DDoS protection, and the ability to bypass VPN detection of games like Minecraft, Fortnite, and Overwatch. Like to play games on your phone or tablet? No problem: this VPN allows up to six devices to be connected at the same time. As such, there’s no need to sacrifice security when you’re away from home.

With 256-bit AES encryption, an application-specific kill switch, anti-malware checking, ad-blocking, and protection against both IPv6 and DNS leaks, NordVPN makes it easy to stay safe online. You can even use it for advanced security setups, thanks to its double VPN and Tor over VPN functionality. With no activity or session data recorded, this VPN allows you to play as anonymously as possible.

This service has Android, iOS, Windows, and MacOS apps. Linux systems and specific routers are also supported but require manual configuration.

BEST BUDGET VPN:NordVPN is a good value all-rounder. A great value option that is a solid Minecraft performer. Connects up to 6 devices simultaneously. Solid security and privacy. Also works well with most gaming sites and achieves consistently good speeds. 30-day money back guarantee.

IPVanish has over 1,000 servers to choose from, allows up to ten simultaneous connections per account, and has barely any impact on your connection speeds. For this reason, it’s a popular choice, not just for playing Minecraft, but also for streaming video online. In addition to bypassing Minecraft’s VPN detection, it can be used to access platforms including Hulu, CBS, and CW Seed.

Although PrivateVPN has fewer servers than some of its rivals (just around 80, spread across 56 countries), it’s still worth considering. It offers high speeds and exceptional customer support, making it ideal for people who are new to VPNs. Further, with up to six simultaneous connections allowed, you and your friends can play Minecraft securely with just one PrivateVPN account.

This VPN has a strict no-logs policy which means your activities cannot be disclosed even if requested. It uses 256-bit encryption, DNS and IPV6 leak protection, and a kill switch to ensure your traffic is secure at all times. If you’re having trouble, PrivateVPN staff are available 24/7 and can configure the software remotely, with your permission.

PrivateVPN has apps for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android systems. It can be manually configured to work with Linux-based platforms and supported routers.

VyprVPN has a huge server network (over 700 servers, with clusters in Europe, the US, Africa, Asia, and Oceania) and excellent speeds. What’s more, it uses a special traffic scrambling function named Chameleon to hide the signs that games such as Minecraft rely on when searching for VPN users. It’s not just for gaming, though: VyprVPN can even unblock platforms like Netflix, Sling TV, and Hulu, making it a strong general-purpose VPN.

This provider offers true end-to-end, 256-bit encryption. This massively increases your online privacy by encrypting your data at all stages of transferral. There’s also a kill switch which stops traffic if you lose your connection to the VPN, as well as DNS leak protection. VyprVPN keeps some information (source IP address, connection time, and data transfer volume) for 30 days, but only for diagnostic purposes. You can reach customer support by email, 24/7, 365 days a year.

VyprVPN offers user-friendly apps for Windows, Android, MacOS, and iOS devices. This service can also be configured to work on Linux systems and supported internet routers.

Can I play Minecraft with a free VPN?

Tempted to use a free VPN to play Minecraft? While it’s technically possible, we strongly advise against it for several reasons. First of all, Mojang has been very aggressive about blocking VPN users, and as such, most free VPN services just won’t work. Second, as free VPNs usually have fewer servers and more users than premium services, you’ll likely notice a lot of lag, even if you manage to get connected.

Like any business, free VPN services exist to make money. As they can’t charge their users directly, they’ve had to come up with other ways to make a profit. Their methods range from placing ads onto the sites you visit, to using tracking cookies to build a consumer profile from your activities, which can then be sold without your knowledge.

People generally use VPNs to enhance their online security, but there’s significant evidence that shows free VPN services may actually make you more vulnerable. For instance, did you know that there are over 100 free Android “VPNs” that don’t actually encrypt your data? Worse still, many intentionally install malware onto the user’s device. We’ve even seen cases where a free VPN sold its users’ bandwidth for use in a botnet. To keep yourself and your personal information safe, we recommend using a reputable VPN service with a track record of protecting its users’ privacy.

What should I do if my Minecraft account is banned?

First, you have to determine what kind of ban is in effect. Unlike some other games, Minecraft doesn’t permanently ban players unless they’ve done something illegal, like purchasing the game with stolen payment information (note: if you buy the game from a third-party reseller, there’s no guarantee it was originally bought legitimately). Instead, you’ll receive an IP ban, which prevents you from playing online, or a server-specific ban, which may be temporary.

If you’ve received an IP ban, you can resume playing by simply connecting to another of your VPN’s servers.

There’s very little you can do if you’ve been banned from a specific server. These bans can be temporary, but you can also be prevented from ever joining that server again with this specific Minecraft account. These bans take place at the server moderator’s discretion, so it might help to consider your actions prior to being banned and adjust your behavior accordingly on other servers to prevent it from happening again.